


The (not so Secret) Secret Anchor

by Michinokao



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Zoro has a devil fruit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 21:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21042788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michinokao/pseuds/Michinokao
Summary: In which Zoro really is a mosshead.





	The (not so Secret) Secret Anchor

_ **1** _

When Zoro is five, he’s really lost. He doesn’t deny it because being stuck in a forest when there should be none indicates that denial isn’t applicable. So he’s lost. Stuck in this shitty forest day and night and literally all he finds are trees and poisonous plants.

The hunger pains have increased steadily over time, growing stronger each hour. To be honest, Zoro wants to cry. But he isn’t a crybaby – he’s not shedding tears over something as trivial as a little bit of starvation.

When he finds this weird fruit and it’s the eleventh day he’s spent in here, he just takes it and doesn’t care if it could possibly kill him. Famished, Zoro practically shoves it down his throat, never minding the taste of dirt.

Warmth settles in his stomach and the moment he has taken one single bite, the world starts feeling a lot better in his opinion. Earth’s nice and should he touch it he could even determine whether it’s any good for growing plants or not, trees hum softly instead of standing still, grass looks a lot more alive.

Even he, the slow idiot he sometimes is, notices that that’s not normal.

It’s not as if he cares.

On the thirteenth day, there is a watermelon growing out of his palm. That’s got something to do with the strange fruit, right? Nonetheless, he is still trapped in the forest even though it doesn’t seem like such a threat now but the number of edible things hasn’t magically increased. So he lets the melon drop on a big sharp rock as soon as it’s ripe and he can take the stem off of it.

Taste’s fucking amazing. He tries that again, the “growing thing”. This time it’s some wild strawberries. One single long stem starts sprouting out of his palm and rather fast, the first berries are coming to life.

The power makes him tired and worn out when he uses it too often but with training he would be able to increase the amount of growing he could do, couldn’t he? Yes, sure, training always helps!

It’s the twenty-sixth day and he just kind of lets himself be ordered around by some weird flowers. They tell him where he can find the village.

Standing for the first time in front of Isshin Dojo, he braces himself, taking a deep breath and then goes in. Kuina, the daughter of the owner, mocks him for his ridiculous hair colour. Zoro wonders why because his hair is black just like her father’s. But when he looks into the mirror, he understands.

He totally does NOT freak out. (Internally, he has a conflict consisting of: “What if I’m slowly becoming a plant? It starts on my head and then travels down... what should I do, oh god, what have I eaten?”) Later on, his Master Koshiro explains it after Zoro DOES NOT have a nightmare about becoming a tree.

Devil fruit, logia type, me-me no mi (or sprout-sprout fruit). The boy knows a strong power when he sees it. However, until he has mastered everything Sensei teaches him, he vows not to use it in fights.

_ **2** _

When he uses it for something other than growing vegetables and fruit, it’s the saddest day of his life. His best friend and greatest enemy is dead. She tripped down stairs and he can’t believe it. Kuina always had been the strongest, so much stronger than Zoro.

If a mere slip can cause such devastating harm to one of the most powerful people he’s ever met how should he fight without any signs of fear? Zoro is crying and all around him, white wild roses are starting to cover the ground of her grave. His whole body lets them grow.

Those were her favourite flowers. She often denied liking them because she had thought it would make her look girly. Zoro thinks they represent just how she truly had been; a girl with thorns of anger and white petals of pure determination – a great swordfighter who doesn’t deserve this.

He vows to Kuina, as he kneels in front of the tombstone, that he will make her dream come true. Zoro will be the world’s greatest swordsman and train for two, breathe for two and live for two. In the sea of roses is a single red one. It stands for his bumping heartbeat as if to say: “I’m alive and I promise I will double the effort. Even if I have to bleed to make it happen!”

Sometimes he slices white rose petals with Wado Ichimonji. Zoro can feel it thrum happily every time he does it.

_ **3** _

When he is bound to the wooden stake, he makes sure that absolutely nobody is around when he sprouts berry stems from his cheeks and greedily, one by one, makes berries vanish into his hungry mouth. No evidence, no punishment for Rika. Zoro’s really good with his abilities by now. He always carries around a battered little plant guide which is neatly pressed between his haramaki and stomach.

There aren’t many people who have the knowledge he possesses his devil fruit ability. Johnny and Yosaku don’t even know about it. He’s developed this really cool technique of quickly covering his body with this bubble-like plant juice (from mangrove trees, as he later on learns) when he’s about to fall into the sea. Zoro can even swim like that and should he make the bubble a little wider around his mouth he has the ability of breathing underwater. Honestly, his powers are ridiculously overpowered at times.

But he doesn’t care to let others have this information. Logia fruits are seen as generally really hard to fight against and he wants guys and girls to confront him for his swordsmanship, not because he is a sproutman (Plantman? Mememan?).

After a couple of days, a crazy rubberman appears and Zoro’s a pirate now.

_ **4** _

Luffy and Zoro are hungry. The swordsman can’t magically make food appear without the other finding it weird. Also, this is his captain. Of course he has to trust him completely and tell him about his powers.

The boy with the straw hat finds it amazing and stars glitter in his eyes.

“Can you make a giant meaty flytrap?! We can kill and roast it!”

Zoro actually doesn’t know. So he tries it and for the first time creates something made of... kinda meat? It’s not really meat but it tastes meaty and a little bit like chicken. It’s a plant though but Luffy doesn’t mind as long as it satisfies his stomach.

Afterwards, they eat a spontaneous fruit salad consisting of some bananas, a honey melon, red juicy apples and oranges. He has trained so hard by now that it doesn’t strain his energy at all.

“Zoro is so cool, shishishi!” Luffy grins heartily at him and Zoro smirks back. It’s nice to hear that from another person. “Thanks, captain.”

_ **5** _

He is surprised by the dagger cutting into his side. They are fighting against Buggy and his crew. What a shitty move. The clown is an absolute coward who can’t fight properly so he has to result to such petty tricks. Zoro, as a logia user, can turn his body into plants (or more specifically white roses as his body unconsciously decided) but he isn’t used to that yet so it tires him greatly to regenerate.

Then he has to fight another circus figure, this time Cabaji. Dirty tricks seem to run in this crew as this asshole kicks sand into his eyes. What a jerk. They dance around, blades meeting one another. He is fast but Zoro’s faster. Oni Giri cuts the acrobat across the chest and a battle’s won.

“Are you alright?” the orange haired girl called Nami asks. She’s a little bit worried because, although Zoro looks pretty tough, the cut went right through and has to incredibly hurt.

The swordsman smirks at her concern and brushes it away with: “Ah, I just need to sleep a bit. It’ll be okay.” And it will be because the wound isn’t even there anymore.

His body is healing at a faster pace than a normal human’s. Tissue is repaired by cellulose until it’s truly repaired. But this cut doesn’t do much but tire him out a bit.

He couldn’t have eaten a better fruit, Zoro believes.

_ **6** _

Zoro doesn’t use the me-me no mi all too often the next couple of days. He just smuggles fresh fruit into their food barrels. Luffy eats _a lot_ and Nami and he himself have both relatively normal appetites - that’s basically six people to feed.

The witch doesn’t notice it. His captain glances at him curiously as if he wants to ask why he hides it. When Nami is asleep he leans closer to Luffy and whispers: “Don’t tell anybody about my devil fruit, okay?” and he provides him with his reasons of a swordman’s pride. Luffy pouts but agrees anyways.

Zoro doesn’t have to hide, in his opinion, because Zoro is so awesome with his swords alone that it would make him seem like an indestructible force of nature if he revealed his true powers.

Ah, Luffy shrugs, it’s his first mate’s decision to make.

_ **7** _

After Syrup Village without any incidences besides the usual fruit and vegetable creation (also flytrap meat because Luffy has had some serious meat cravings), they come to the Baratie.

Zoro doesn’t like Sanji. The rose the cook’s pulling from his suit jacket looks as if it had been thoroughly stomped on and he is sort of sexist but claims it to be chivalry. However, this wouldn’t have made hating Sanji so easy. It is the way the chain smoker reacts to his hair colour.

Freaking hell, as if he had any say in that! Zoro’s hair had been black. Black! When he imagines himself with black hair he would look better in his opinion but now he is totally too caught up in not letting Sanji know he had planned on dying it.

“Moss-brain” he calls the swordsman. Haha, funny, really witty for such a swirly shitty cook.

Argh, everything the blond does could potentially rile him up enough to angrily let cacti grow out of various body parts. Conversations with the cook could prove to be fatal for keeping his secrets save.

Then there is the fight with Mihawk. It’s easier said than done to not dissolve into roses as soon as the blade slashes across his chest. Naturally, his healing is sped up and this is probably the reason why he doesn’t immediately fall unconscious or even die.

A knowing look passes on Dracule Mihawk’s face but it’s soon replaced by contentment. Mihawk has seen many men try to fool him with devil fruits but Roronoa Zoro is a real swordsman so he endures his wounds as much as he can.

“Surpass me, Roronoa!” the world’s greatest shouts.

Zoro will give his best to do so and to honour the promise he gives to Luffy.

_ **8** _

Smoke flies into the sky. “So” Sanji starts, “You want to tell me that there is just food randomly spawning inside the pantry?”

Luffy tilts his head while Zoro has to swallow. It must be around three days after they fought Arlong and his crew. The Straw Hats’ navigator shrugs. Even she can’t really explain this phenomenon. “Ever since I joined, it started happening. Luffy, say something! What do you think about it?” Nami asks annoyed.

Their captain begins to sweat heavily. Lips are sucked in as he tries his hardest not to glance too much at Zoro.

“Aha! Moss-brain has something to do with it!” Sanji calls out joyously. He’s pointing a cigarette at the swordsman in accusation. Zoro sighs but doesn’t deny it outright. It isn’t as if they aren’t right about it... it’s just shitty because now there will be all sorts of questions if when reveals the me-me no mi.

“Put that thing out of my face, swirly-brow” he tells Sanji while nodding towards the smoking cig, “and then I can show you how and why.”

The cook actually blinks before he does as the green haired man said. They sit in a circle, Luffy with stars in his eyes muttering “that’s so cool guys, pay attention, so cool!”, Nami waiting impatiently, Usopp raising his eyebrows and Sanji being aggravated.

Then Zoro lets a mango grow out of his palm and all hell’s loose.  
“What? Why? HOW?!” Sanji holds the perfectly fine fruit in his hand and looks at it as if it’s the spawn of Satan himself.  
Nami’s reaction is a little bit more eloquent but not really. Their captain just cheers. And Usopp? He makes a weird cross sign with his arms and yells something about Zoro being the devil himself.

“Well” the swordsman crosses his arms and sighs, “I ate the me-me no mi. I’m a plantman. So I grow all the food when you are asleep in order not to starve because this idiot eats like a horse.” Zoro indicates towards Luffy with a quick nod.

“You” Sanji tries.

“I?”

“You...”

“What the fuck, shitty cook, are you broken?!”

“You really are a moss-head...”

Zoro snarls and cacti start sprouting. Sanji laughs his head off while, at the same time, Luffy pokes the prickly succulents with a broad grin.

Nami promptly whacks both Sanji and Luffy on the head. Then she turns to Zoro and says something that makes the swordsman blink: “Thanks for not letting us die. You could’ve told us before, though...”

Zoro answers easily: “Could have, yeah. Wouldn’t have made any difference. I have a technique for swimming so that’s no problem.”

The navigator looks intrigued but decides not to bother him too much. Usopp then stands up from his shock infused freeze and pats him on the shoulder while stuttering: “N-Naturally, the g-g-great captain U-Usopp n-never suspected you to be a-a demon or something!”

Zoro gives him a _look _but Usopp keeps patting until the swordsman just goes away and lies down with his back leaning against one of Merry’s railings.

Huh, Zoro thinks as he closes his eyes, dozing off. Wasn’t as bad as he had initially thought it’d be.

** _9_ **

Their newest addition to this batshit insane group of pirates doesn’t trust Zoro. The reindeer-human stares at him when he thinks the swordsman doesn’t notice it. Obviously, he does. But it’s alright because he knows he can seem a bit intimidating.

And also, it’s not as if their guest princess is the same. She’s nice and Zoro accepts her as nakama as soon as her intentions are leaked and Luffy’s mind is set.

Chopper comes to him one day when they are two or three days away from arriving at the shore of Sandy Island. His hooves clamp on the main mast as he hides the wrong way and confronts the green haired man by just blatantly having his eyes constantly on him.

“Do you want something?” Zoro asks neutrally.

“...Mercrds...” the reindeer mumbles incoherently.

“’Scuse me, what?”

“I NEED TO TAKE YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS!” Chopper shouts and then promptly hides again.

“Yeah, why not?” Zoro agrees.

He has to reveal his devil fruit to Chopper during the examination. Contrary to Zoro’s assumption that it would scare the small guy even more, the doctor gradually begins to trust him more and more. Maybe it’s because both of them have odd devil fruits which changed their appearance in a sort-of freakish manner or it’s because Zoro makes sure not to look too intimidating. The swordsman doesn’t know what exactly has caused Chopper to put his trust in him but he’s glad for it.

But the increased trust also means that Chopper starts asking about his body... and Zoro isn’t ready to share the truly embarrassing story about how he had nearly cut off his feet because he has kinda forgotten his powers in the dire situation with that wax guy.

So he just says: “That happened before I became a plantman.”

And Chopper answers: “But that doesn’t make any sense – the scar looks kind of new. I mean it healed up nicely –“

“I scratched it open two days ago.”

“But that –“

“And then I fell over a rock.”

“But –“

“And the rock was made out of hot wax which caused the wound to be irritated.”

“...” Chopper doesn’t quite believe him but Zoro looks convincing enough for the small guy to let it drop.

** _10_ **

In the midst of their mission in Alabasta, the Straw Hats meet their captain’s brother. Zoro is absolutely dumbstruck – how the hell is someone like Portgas D. Ace related to Luffy? Not that he doesn’t respect his captain, obviously he does, but how is something like that possible?

When Zoro finds out that Ace is a logia user too (fire at that) he is torn between asking for advise and asking for a duel with only their devil fruit powers as weaponry.

Obviously, he chooses the second option. Promptly, he is defeated. Well. Shit.

“Huh, and you’re my little bro’s first mate? Shouldn’t you be... I don’t know... stronger?” Ace tilts his head just like Luffy, making a vein pop on the green haired man’s forehead.

“I am strong!” Zoro exclaims, utterly embarrassed, “I’ve just never really fought with my devil fruit.”

The Whitebeard Pirate seems confused for a second before he bursts out laughing. “For real?!” he asks between giggles, “You have one of the most powerful fruits there are... and you, you... just decided not to use it in fights? Are you stupid?”

“...” Zoro crosses his arms dejectedly and mutters: “It’s a swordsman thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Nah, sorry, I really don’t” Ace replies nonchalantly, “I mean, do you know the things you could do with that kind of power? Damn, just imagine all the possibilities...”

Sanji clicks his tongue then and states sarcastically: “To imagine something you’d need a head that’s not made out of moss.”

“Shitty cook, shut the fuck up!”

“No, you shut up, dumb moss!”

Ace shakes his head. No wonder his brother has recruited these people. They fit in just right – both of them.

_ **11** _

Alabasta is saved.

Vivi has left.

And Zoro has to deal with yet another person snooping around his business. Apparently, Nico Robin has eaten the hana hana no mi and she can sprout her various different body parts all over the freaking ship. Nice. Is that karma striking because Zoro hadn’t been able to defeat Ace with his devil fruit? Seems like it.

Anyways, there’s something off about that woman - something that lets him hesitate, something that has him shaking his head when Luffy inquires whether or not Robin can know about “the cool plant stuff”.

His sense of direction may be shit (even though he’d never outright admit it) but his sense of people has never once failed him before.

Nico Robin isn’t nakama – not yet.

_ **12** _

The Sky Island makes him feel off, like there is something that’s missing. At first he wasn’t sure about what it was but now, standing on this so-called Upper Yard, he knows it for sure.

Earth, vearth... whatever you may call it, Zoro feels it thrumming underneath his boots, a reminder of what he’s been missing.

A menacing grin forms on his lips.

He wants to meet this... _god_.

_ **13** _

“Hey” he says. The night is soft, the air warm. Robin still shivers. No, it’s not an aftermath of the time she’s been frozen almost to death by Kuzan. It’s the memory of the scene on the Tower of Justice.

“Hey” she replies.

“What’s your um... what’s your favourite flower?” The question comes as a surprise, even for Zoro himself who is the one who uttered it. Not being one to take back his words, however embarrassing they may be, he crosses his arms and waits in silence for an answer.

“I... quite like carnations.”

Ugh, a flower Zoro doesn’t know. He grumbles in faux annoyance as he takes the book from beneath his haramaki (oh, hell, he should be more careful in the future – there are already bloodstains on its cover) and pages through it until he comes across a white-pink flower that resembles the cotton candy Chopper loves to eat. Nodding to himself, he holds out his palm.

“Oh my” Robin breathes in awe, eyes fixated on the spectacle. After a couple of seconds, a perfectly fine carnation lies on the swordsman’s hand. “There. You’re nakama now.” the man states, presenting her the flower without much fanfare. Gently, Robin takes it in her own hands, the tiniest smile forming on her lips. She understands the implications behind the gesture and Zoro’s words.

“Thank you, swordsm... Zoro.” 

“No problem. We’re having dinner in thirty.” _There’s a seat for you waiting at the table. Eat with us, you’re nakama. _– is what goes unsaid. Robin puts the flower in her hair, closes her eyes and breathes in the salty air one last time before following the green haired man into their new ship’s much larger interior.

_ **14** _

Pain. So much freaking pain. He’s pretty sure he only survived Kuma’s bubble because of his devil fruit’s regenerative ability. Otherwise, Zoro muses lying in the infirmary bed, he’d have died. He’d have died for his crew. The thought only now sinks into his brain. Looking back, he can’t pinpoint when the crew as a whole had become so important to him – even the curlybrow – that he’d give up his dream for every single one of them.

Luffy had always had a special place in his heart ever since his defeat at the Baratie. Most captains would have been at least a little bit ashamed at his loss – especially after Zoro had spouted so many time that he’ll become the world’s greatest – but not Luffy. In the rather short period of time he’d been sailing with the rubberman, Zoro has learnt that being captain and subordinate respectively doesn’t mean there’s no friendship to be found.

Friendship, huh?

He slowly heaves himself up into a sitting position. Friendship. That’s what it is, he then realizes.

Zoro’s found himself a group of friends.

_ **15** _

He feels at home. The archipelago sings to him and Zoro really would love to let himself be calmed by the ease it brings just being near the thing –

\- IF HE ACTUALLY WERE STILL ON SABAODY. What the hell?! That weird ass Warlord just pawed him and all of a sudden, Zoro finds himself flying through the damn sky in a speed that rivals a mighty Coup de Burst.

Grimacing, he lets himself be catapulted to god knows where.

It can’t be that bad, he decides. He’ll just meet up with the crew at the archipelago once he actually has solid ground beneath his feet again. The swordsman doesn’t let himself ponder about his nakama’s wellbeing...

... nope. Absolutely not.

Okay, he’s worried, alright? Worried about the others who had to see him vanish into thin air. And, admittedly, he’s worried for their safety more than anything else. What if – but no! He can’t think about all those possibilities.

They’re going to be alright. Everyone’s going to be just fine.

_ **16** _

Yeah, he was wrong about that. “Luffy was involved in a war?! ACE DIED?!” Nothing is fine.

He’s never felt so utterly helpless before.

_ **17** _

<strike>3D</strike>2Y

How... awkward. There he was, trying his hardest to leave the island and now here he is, begging to be trained by his biggest enemy.

Luckily, it seems Mihawk is having a great day and agrees to the ridiculous demand.

“We’ll also work with that devil fruit of yours when you’re ready.” Mihawk says.

“But –“

“_When you’re ready_. That is, when you finally decide to be less shitty.”

Zoro’s mouth drops open.

“What? Don’t look at me like that. The last time I saw you, this tiny thing was able to make you lose your footing.” the world’s best swordsman interrupts, pointing at his disguised dagger.

Zoro... can’t really argue with that.

_ **18** _

The Thousand Sunny sinks into the water. Two years have gone by so fast, the swordsman thinks. 

“Oh, guys, I didn’t tell you, did I?” Zoro muses, motioning at the coating, “That’s the stuff with which I’m able to swim.”

“...” Nami abandons everything in order to stare at him. Usopp turns to him, a grimace on his matured face. Even Brook, Robin and Franky stop in their tracks.

After a moment of complete silence, Nami walks up to him in a trance, grips his shoulders tightly and violently begins shaking him. “AND WHY DIDN’T YOU EVER TELL US THAT, HUH?! YOU COULD HAVE LITERALLY COATED THE SHIP YOURSELF, DUMBASS! AND EVEN IF YOU COULDN’T, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER TO CARRY GROCERIES!”

“Oh.”

The rest of the Straw Hats groan aside from Luffy who just “shishishi”s.

As Zoro is repeatedly hit by Nami’s wrath, he can’t keep his grin hidden. It’s good to be back.

**Author's Note:**

> Some things don't really make sense with Zoro's devil fruit and its healing abilities. That's because Zoro's a damn idiot who represses it most of the time. Swordsman's pride and all.


End file.
